World Cup - Day 14

6/22/2006: Ghana 2 – USA 1 (Group E)

When the World Cup draw occurred back in December of 2005, the US looked at its group (called the Group of Death by many experts back then) and saw this game against Ghana as their sure 3 points. If they could somehow get a draw against Italy and/or the Check Republic the thinking went, then things would play out okay and the US would advance into the second round for the second consecutive
World Cup. When I saw the draw and looked at some of the Ghanaian players I saw huge matchup problems for the US and didn’t think the US would even win this game. Of course, I also didn’t think the US would play so miserably against the other teams and that they would not have generated a goal of their own to date.

Despite the dire circumstances (1 loss, 1 tie, only 1 goal) the situation in order for the US to advance was stunningly simple: beat Ghana and hope to get some help from Italy and the US would still advance despite their poor showing to date. The Italians did their part in beating the Check’s 2-0, but the US just couldn’t pull itself out of its pathetic funk.

The American malaise continued early in the game in the 23rd minute on a fairly innocent back pass to Claudio Reyna. Claudio, an excellent ball handler who normally doesn’t turn the ball over made the costliest mistake of his World Cup career. When he tried to push the ball to his left, his cleats seemed to get stuck in the grass. The Ghanaian forward Draman picked his pocket, and raced in on a breakaway against Kasey Keller. He made a stutter move to his left, hesitated for a moment, then aiming the ball hard towards the far post and beat Keller to put Ghana up 1-0. It was a bad start again for the Americans, caused by a defensive lapse just like in the first game against the Czech Republic. To add insult to injury, Reina appeared badly hurt on the play and had to be carted off. Although he continued on, he was substituted shortly thereafter for Ben Olsen.

Despite the setback, the US began to push up effectively using their trademark short passing game. But what cost the Americans was their poor finishing. Landon Donovan, considered by many to be the US’s most electrifying player in terms of pace, control, and scoring ability, showed only his ability to run hard throughout the Cup. But even though he had not played inspired soccer, in the 35th minute, McBride chested a perfect pass to the right side right into Donovan's run. With only the keeper to beat, Donovan, perhaps epitomizing the entire badness of the team, skied the shot horribly in a manner more characteristic of an amateur player than the future hope of US soccer (more on this later).

DaMarcus Beasly, the other American hope, who along with Donovan had performed so well in the American’s surprisingly stunning run in 2002 when they badly outplayed Germany in the quarterfinals but lost 1-0, also did little in this game. But in the 43rd minute, he stole a bad defensive pass and put in a cross that Clint Dempsey hit with the outside of his foot that blazed past Ghana’s keeper Kingston. All of a sudden, the Americans were back in it. When the news that Italy had scored to lead the Czech Republic, anything seemed possible.

That all changed just a few minutes later, and for this unpriceless moment we should thank Markus Merk, one of the best referees in Europe if not the world. I routinely see this guy doing all of the top Champion League games so he must be doing something right. But when he called Onyewu for a foul against Ghana’s Pimpong on a 50-50 ball when Onyewu was just going to head the ball (why should he be victimized for being 6" taller than his opponent), this had to rank as one of the worst fouls I’ve ever witnessed. Because the foul was in the penalty area, Ghana was awarded a PK. Appiah converted the kick with a powerful high shot to Keller's right. In a flash, the American’s fortunes had reversed completely. Down 2-1 at half, the Americans now had to figure out how to generate two goals in 45 minutes when they only had managed 1 in the previous 135.

So in order to carry out such a momentous task, one would think that Bruce Arena would put in his two additional substitutes and throw caution to the wind, go for broke, go for the Cup as they say. Instead Arena did nothing. Just as he had sat passively on the bench during the Czech Republic game, Bruce made no immediate tactical changes. It wasn’t until the 60th minute (the 60th minute) that he brought Eddie Johnson in. He waited even longer to bring in Bobby Convey.

In the 55th minute, Keller was forced to make a good save on an Amoah long range kick off of a lightning fast Ghana fast break. From then on, the US attacked with a great deal of purpose but I suspect this was more due to Ghana’s reluctance to further push the ball and to contently sit back and wait for the counterattack. In the 66th minute, the US had their best chance when Eddie Lewis beat his defender and crossed to McBride who headed the low ball against the post. Others had their chances as well. Bocanegra’s shot deflected just high; Oneywu’s unchallenged header off a corner went just high.

But two plays symbolized Landon Donovan’s poor performance and his inability to make an impact. When Convey was fouled hard on the corner of the left hand side of the penalty box, a great chance for a set piece, Donovan’s free kick was kicked too hard and high. No US player even touched the ball. Simply not good enough for a World Cup player. Moments later, Donovan again showing his ability to chase a ball, go to a pass on the right hand side, made a nice move into the middle and settled for a pass to Olsen, who whiffed on the kick. The problem here was Donovan should have pushed the ball into the box, ran at the defender and tried to make something happen. As the US’s best dribbler, why didn’t he take this challenge on ? This lack of conviction was how he played in the entire Cup.

Going back to the referee’s blunder on the PK. Did it cost the US this game as Bruce Arena suggested in the post-game conference by saying that “he made us chace the game” ?I f the US had scored another goal to tie the game, I may have agreed with him. But the team’s inability to do that rendered his mistake a moot point in Arena's argument.

For the US, there are eery parallels to France 8 years ago: an anemic and unimaginative offense combined with a defense which made too many inopportune mistakes. Arena also seems to have been overmatched at the tactical level, at times appearing to be as lost on the sidelines as his players were on the field. The big difference between now and then were the expectations were much higher going to Germany. US players were supposed to be more professional, more mature, more ready. But the reality was that this team, to put it simply, was a huge disappointment.

Notes:

It was a night of continuation of some pitiful 0-fer statistics for the United States:

• 0-8-1 in World Cup on European soil
• 0-5-0 in 3rd game of group play
• 0-13-1 when trailing in a World Cup game

6/22/2006: Australia – Croatia (Group F)

Gus Hiddink, Australia’s coach, is one of the most respected coaches in the world. He led South Korea to an improbable 4th place finish 4 years ago. This year, he led Australia to its first World Cup appearance in 50 years. And in the first game against Japan, he looked like an absolute genius as his second half substitutes Cahill and Aloisi scored all goals in a brilliant ten minute stretch to liquidate the Japanese.

Why then, did Hiddink start reserve keeper Kalac (backup at AC Milan to Dida and backup to the Socceroos Schwarzer) in this all important game to decide which one of these teams would accompany Brazil into the knockout round ? Did sentimentality play into his thinking, considering Kalac’s Croatian background.

Kalac’s role on Croatia’s first goal on a rocket by Srna from a free kick is questionable. In the 40th minute, Kalac nearly mishandled a ball from a corner right into his own goal. Then in the 57th, Niko Kovac unleashed a powerful but manageable shot from the top of the box that Kalac couldn’t handle and it bounced innocently into the goal.

This game was the tournament’s most exciting to date, with each goal changing the outcome. Croatia scores, they’re in. Australia equalizes, they’re in. Croatia scores again, they’re in. End to end, in and out game.

The period from time 70 to 90 provide the best drama of the tournament. In the 71st minute, an incredible sequence starting with Kewell’s blast is punched out by the keeper. In the ensuing corner, Kewell taps it too soft into the defender at the post. In the next corner, the Croatian keeper makes a heroic save, clutching the ball just outside of the line as two Aussies kick at him. In the 75th, Tomas,who was whistled for a handball on a cross in the first half and which resulted in Australia’s tying goal, does it again but is not called for it. Australian persistence pays off when in the 79th minute, Kewell, clearly in an offside position, volleys it home for the equalizer. Australia is back in.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie !!! Oy Oy Oy !!!

But wait, in the 87th minute, Croatia’s Tudor find himself all alone in front of the keeper in the box but takes one touch too many and his shot is blocked and then cleared off the line by Moore. Incredible stuff. Incredibly exciting game. Pulsating end to end action.

In the 93rd minute, Australia’s scores a 3rd goal. The referee invalidates the goal, yellow cards Croatia’s defender Simunic a third time, and just stops the game. Bizarre ending.

At the end of 93 excruciating minutes, Australia gets a date with Italy. The way things are going, Italy better watch out because Hiddink’s South Korean team knocked the Italian’s out last time also.